


Dead Heart

by cinnysangel



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-26
Updated: 2016-03-15
Packaged: 2018-05-23 07:19:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 21,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6109286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinnysangel/pseuds/cinnysangel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Part one of a three part series. A woman joins the group at the quarry after her entire group was killed. She is on the run and ready to give up. Stubborn Daryl Dixon is more than happy to let her until he realizes having a nurse in camp is important.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story starts way back in the beginning but travels with the timeline in each part. Daryl is season one and two personality wise but he will grow and time will march on throughout the series.

Chapter one

Her breathing seemed louder than it should. Panic settled in as she strained to hear above the sound of her pounding heart. Stevie Shaw was alone, hiding in the tall grass at the edge of the woods. The loud buzzing of flies swarming everywhere made her skin crawl. She kept imagining spiders scurrying on her, making her jumpy and paranoid. Her arachnophobia was an irrational fear she had since, well, since as far back as she could remember. She thought of the first time she saw a spider in her tent after the outbreak. She almost screamed making her tent mate Amanda scold her about real fear. "You should be so lucky that the only thing to fear is a little spider." Amanda had scooped it up, setting it outside of the tent. Later that night while they were trying to sleep, Stevie had asked her why she didn't kill it. "I've had enough killing."

Amanda rolled over ending the conversation. They both spent long hours that night lost in the same thought; all those people at the hospital, the ones they put down. Stevie couldn't shake the guilt of it. No matter how many times Amanda told her it was kill or be killed the guilt still didn't go away. Yeah some of them had the fever, those she felt she was helping. What bothered her was the ones she knew weren't infected. Like that cop Rick, his biggest crime was being in a coma in that particular hospital. She didn't give him the injection. Instead she had gone into his room and stopped his IV. She doubted he made it, but at least she knew she hadn't killed him.

 

Tears rolled down Stevie's face at the memories. She knew things could have been worse. She could have been on the children's ward instead of the long care floor. She didn't care what those soldiers ordered she wouldn't have taken the life of a child, not now not ever! What did it matter anyway? The injections just sped up the process. The ones that had the fever turned in spite of the efforts to prevent it. They really didn't know much about this outbreak back then. The Army didn't have any answers, neither did the doctors. Mentally she warned herself. "That was a long time ago, stop thinking about it!"

In reality it was only a couple of months ago, maybe. She didn't know for sure if it was one month or two. Time stopped for her that day. Now she based time on events rather than sun rise to sun set. A lot had happened since, making her old life seem like two lifetimes ago.

She and Amanda escaped the hospital before the military killed them all. Right after she left Rick's room Amanda had run into her in the hallway. She insisted that they leave and leave now. Stevie didn't argue. Something she saw in Amanda's eyes made Stevie realize she had to go with the woman. Stevie could still hear the sound of machine gun fire that echoed from somewhere down the hallway. She managed to convince Amanda that it would be in their best interests to stop at their homes for clothing and any food they could take that wasn't perishable. They drove right by Amanda's place because the area was teaming with dead. At Stevie's apartment they cleaned out her cabinets and Stevie grabbed her most treasured possession, her journal. In all, they had a case of bottled water, a bag of pretzels, a couple cans of tuna, string beans, carrots and pork and beans. It wasn't much but it would help them survive until they got to safety. Stevie had grabbed her flashlight and matches but forgotten about the one thing that could have helped them the most, a can opener. After hiding for days they made a choice to go to Atlanta. Amanda had heard there was shelter and possibly people with answers about the outbreak. They made it all the way to the edge of city when they ran into a group that had fled the mayhem that was now downtown Atlanta. Thank God for Gerry and his group, without them and their resourcefulness she and Amanda wouldn't have survived as long as they did.  
She wiped her eyes once again. They were all dead now, Amanda included.

 

Her feet and ankles were swollen and she had blisters on her feet from being on the run. Stevie had been running for hours, maybe an entire day. She didn't have food, shelter, water, clothing…she looked at her shirt. Amanda's blood covered it, dried and rust colored, but in her mind it was still fresh. "What am I going to do?" Her words echoed inside of her head. "I just want it to be over. Please, just let me die!" She rocked back and forth hugging her knees as she squatted in the grass. A noise snapped her out of her hysteria. She listened. It was footsteps, slow footsteps, crunching down the debris on the ground. She saw it up ahead hunched over and moving slowly, a walker. She considered it to be an answer to her prayers. Making a rash decision to accept her fate and sprung to her feet.

"Come on you son of a bitch, its feeding time!"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2   
Daryl spun around, his cross bow leveled to shoot before he even made the complete turn. His eyes locked with the woman moments before she crumpled to the ground. He scanned the entire area coming up empty. With his bow lowered halfway he marched deliberately to her and with one hand he grabbed her shirt, pulling her to her feet. "Are you fucking crazy? I could have killed you! And you know what? I still should put an arrow through that stupid head of yours!"  
His face was inches from hers, his breath hot on her skin. He smelled of sweat and dirt. She was certain he was dead serious about his threat. "What's stopping you? Go on, do it!" She didn't back away, didn't recoil at his angry words.

"You have a death wish lady. I would just as soon help you out, but…"  
Daryl looked over her shoulder. Along the edge of the tree line Shane and Rick pointed their rifles at him. Lori tried to shield Carl, Glenn stood a few feet behind, weapon free. Daryl shook his head and spit into the dirt. What was that kid going to do if there really was walkers here? "Stupid fucking…"

"Daryl!" Rick warned.

Daryl suddenly let go of Stevie and she fell onto her ass in the dirt. "Yeah, I know. We don't shoot the living. Camp rules." He mocked. "Do you have any other friends lurking in the bushes?" He spat at her feet.

Andrea ran to the group seconds before Daryl tossed the girl onto the ground. She rushed to her side. "Dixon, you're an asshole!"

"Mother fucking proud of it! Now if you'll excuse me, this asshole is going to get dinner so you skinny little broads don't starve to death!"

Rick watched Daryl stomp off as if nothing happened. Although he didn't have his bow engaged and never pointed it directly at the woman, Rick had aimed his rifle once again at Daryl’s head. He didn't completely trust Daryl. He was crass and rude on good days, yet he always made sure there was food for them. Countless times he stood alongside of Rick, willing to do his part to protect them anytime there was trouble. Rick wondered how much of his distrust stemmed from knowing Daryl's brother Merle.

 

Hearing the commotion Carol had joined the group along with Dale. She bent down next to Stevie helping her to her feet. Carol could feel the girl trembling. She did her best to soothe the situation. "You're alright dear."

"Is he part of your group?" she asked with a wobble in her voice. Stevie didn't want anything to do with that man. If he was she would be better off alone.

"Never mind Daryl. He's really a good person, deep down." Carol reassured.

Andrea exchanged glances with Lori. Carol's husband had been an abusive man, verbally and physically. It wasn't a shock that Carol would find the "good" in Daryl Dixon. Hell Andrea was certain if Merle Dixon returned today Carol would bond with him too. And there was nothing good about Merle Dixon.

Carol looked at both women catching the looks on their faces. "I know what you're thinking. And you need to stop it right now. Daryl is an asset. He could just leave. And then what would we do?" When both women avoided eye contact with Carol she continued, talking to Stevie. "He really isn't that bad once you get to know him."

"I think I might have gotten to know how much a pain in the ass-et he is already." Stevie rubbed the area on her backside that hit the ground the hardest.

Lori and Andrea suppressed a laugh. Carol tried to keep a straight face but lost the battle. "I'm sorry dear." She said on a giggle.

Stevie eyed the women and for the first time in ages, she laughed too.

 

On the way into camp Lori told Stevie all of their names. Stevie gave a quick rundown of what led her to their camp. Most of the men had retreated the moment they knew there wasn't any danger. Glenn had hung back, waiting until the women made it to the clearing.

Lori continued to talk. "Up there on the camper is T-dog, and Shane. That's my husband Rick. Our son Carl is over there with Dale."

Rick had taken his seat again and went back to sharpening an end of a long stick. It looked primitive and Stevie wonder if he really planned to use it as a weapon. Rick stood up and shook Stevie's hand. There was something vaguely familiar about him, but she had no idea how she would know him.

"Stevie, why don't you come with me?" Andrea reached out her hand to the girl. At her tent she spoke, "You're about the same size as my sister. Although I think you're thinner, but the clothing will fit."

Stevie looked at her shirt again and crossed her arms around her chest covering Amanda's blood. "I can wash these. Your sister might need her things."

"No, she won't.” Andrea looked at the tree line when she whispered. "She's gone."

Stevie looked closely at Andrea. "Oh my God, I am so sorry." Tears welled in her eyes but she didn't have enough hydration for them to pool and spill over.

Lori walked over to the tent and put her hands on Stevie’s shoulders to steer her towards the water. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”

 

They walked through camp and towards the pond. Andrea nodded her head towards the water as Rick and Shane watched them go.

"Keep an eye on Carl." Lori put her hand on Carol's shoulder. She knew Andrea wanted to make sure that Stevie was clean. Having her wash up and change they could check for bites. The woman had acted erratically with Daryl. At first Lori had thought she had the fever. But she was cool to the touch. At the pond, both Andrea and Lori decided the chance for privacy was too good of an opportunity to pass up. They stripped and got into the water with Stevie. Aside from some blisters and bruises she was free of wounds. Both of the woman sighed in relief.

"I really miss shampoo and conditioner." Lori filled the time with chatter to make Stevie feel comfortable. The girl seemed shell shocked and just stood in the water. "I'll help you with your hair." She waded over and instructed Stevie to lean her head back. Lori did a quick tick check because Stevie couldn't give an accurate time frame for how long she was in the woods. Her hair was sandy colored making it easy for Lori to inspect without alarming the girl.

Andrea was used to asking direct questions being a lawyer. Stevie seemed like a child that had seen too much in life. "How old are you?"

"Twenty eight, but I feel fifty."

Lori laughed without humor. "We all do."

 

The normal chatter with these women made Stevie relax and come out of the stunned state she had fallen into. As she became aware of her surroundings she tuned into the needs of her body. "Is this water safe to drink?"

"It is but we boil it first." Andrea answered. "Let's get you dressed.

"When was the last time you ate or drank anything?" Lori took a good look at the girl. Her skin seemed thin and her lips were dry and cracked. Obviously she was dehydrated.

"Um, I don't know. Before the attack I think."

Amy wasn't fat or even chubby but her clothing hung on Stevie's body like a wet limp rag. Andrea feared that this girl could become very sick soon if they didn't get her fed and rested. "We have to get back to camp."

Stevie had some water and ate very little of the berries and dried meat they offered her. It wasn't that she didn't like it she just hadn't had much to eat in a long time. Her stomach protested the onslaught of food. Lori insisted that Stevie get some sleep. She didn't want to but figured she wouldn't argue with them since she was a guest in their camp. Lying on the bedding in Andrea's tent Stevie fought sleep with images of the day her entire group died. She didn't know when it happened but exhaustion took hold and she drifted into a dreamless sleep.

 

Just before sunset Daryl reentered the camp. He had a little bit of luck hunting, finding a groundhog and a couple of squirrels. He also discovered deer tracks. Tomorrow he would climb up a nearby tree and wait. Hopefully his luck would continue. It hadn't started that way though, not with meeting that woman. She had been on his mind all damn day. Who the hell was she? And why did she call attention to herself when she didn't have a weapon. Just like the chin…the kid, unarmed and dangerous! Fucking idjits! Although he wouldn't admit it he was starting to like Glenn. Maybe that was the reason he rode the kid so hard. And also the reason he couldn't finish the derogatory word even if it was only in his thoughts. He took a long look around the camp. When he didn't see her he asked, "Where's the broad?"

Carol touched Daryl on the bicep. "Her name is Stevie." She handed him a plate of food. It was the last of the potatoes they had pilfered from a store in Atlanta. With the help of Dale, Carol had used an old fish tank and was trying her hand at greenhouse growing. If they got potatoes out of the spuds she had planted she would be overjoyed.

"What the hell kind of name is Stevie, for a girl?" Daryl said between bites.

Stevie stood in the doorway of Andrea's tent. Her arms were crossed over her chest as she stared at him. "I don't know, what the hell kind of redneck backwoods name is Daryl?"

 

Daryl stepped over a log that they used for a bench. He walked dangerously close to the fire and didn't stop until he was toe to toe with her. He had to slouch a little to look her in the eye. Instead of doing that he spread his leg in a large stance. Tilting his head from side to side in a cocky manner he taunted her. "It's a man's name. Just like yours is a man's name. You got balls girly?" Abruptly he changed the subject. "What the hell were you doing out there anyway? You trying to get yourself killed?" He saw the look on her face change from confident defiance to embarrassment. "You were! Son of a bitch you were, trying to commit suicide."

Stevie had maintained eye contact right up until he mentioned her motive for doing what she did. She was ashamed of it but desperate.

"Death by walker. Ha that's a laugh." Daryl put his arms out to the sides and shrugged his shoulders. Suddenly he faced her again grabbing her wrist. He pulled a long knife from a pouch on his belt. He put the handle in her hand, curling her fingers around it squeezing tight. "We kill the walkers, you understand that? They don't… kill us!"

"Hey that's enough!" Rick shouted.

"What are you going to do arrest me Mr. big city pig?"

"I said, that's enough!" Rick repeated.

Daryl snatched the knife from her hand and made a show of sheathing it back into its pouch. "Ain’t worth it."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Days passed by and Stevie fell into a routine of chores and survival. Being in this camp wasn't much different than Gerry's camp. Lori was hiding something, Stevie was sure of it. She caught the woman countless times staring a hole into the back of Shane's head. Shane was power hungry and Stevie thought if Rick wasn't here Shane would be the leader of this group. Dale loved everyone but he had a softer spot in his heart for Andrea and it showed. He did his best to ease the pressure off of Rick's shoulders. Stevie glanced at Rick. He was talking to T-dog and Glenn, doling out instructions like he was still a sheriff and these two were deputies.

Stevie pieced together a little bit of Rick's story and she was certain that this was the cop she saved in the hospital. She didn't know how he survived but he had. She still hadn't found the right words or the courage to admit it to him. How does one tell a cop that you are a killer? He wouldn't cart her to jail because justice died along with the natural world. But he could judge her. Maybe even sentence her to life outside of the camp. Just a few weeks ago she had wanted to give up and die and now she wanted to live, and live with these people. Thanks to Dale she knew what day it was. It gave her a strange sense of peace that maybe just maybe life could return to normal. Shockingly even Daryl wasn't bothering her nearly as bad. She didn't see him often because he spent most of his time searching, searching for food or searching for his brother. She got the lowdown on that story from Glenn. In a way she could tell Glenn felt responsible for what happened to Merle, and from what T-dog told her Merle made Daryl look like a kitten.

 

On one of the rare days Daryl stayed in camp Stevie kept being drawn to him. She always seemed to need to know where he was. Maybe it was out of fear that he would be too close or maybe she just wanted to know what made Daryl Dixon tick. She found him walking along the edge of the pond squatting every once in a while to tend to a trap he put in the water. She jogged over to him.

"Be quiet." He warned without looking up

She glared at him, ready to tell him to shove it when she noticed the frog. Daryl slowly lowered the trap back into the water and the frog disappeared.

"Frogs?"

"Frog legs are considered a delicacy to some people. Ain’t much meat worth a damn on them but it'll make a difference between living or dying. Speaking of meat, you need to fatten up that skinny ass of yours, winters coming and we don't want you to freeze to death."  
She eyed him with contempt. "Where is your laundry?"  
"I don't need no one doing my laundry." He spat the words at her.  
If she thought that things were better between her and this arrogant man she was a fool. "Yeah and it look like no one has be doing it. You need your cloths washed."

"Don't be telling me what I need. I'll take care of my own washing." He stood up to his full height looking down at her. Without warning she gave him a hard shove into the pond. When he surfaced she said, "There, killed two birds with one hard headed stone. Your clothes are washed and now you don't need a bath either."  
"You scared my frogs away!" He slapped the water and then tried to splash her as she walked off.

 

Carol and Andrea tried to hide their laughter, failing miserably.

"What are you laughing at?"

Andrea answered him, "You! Seems you got your yearly bath a little early this year."

"Fuck you, I bathe! I wash my cloths too regardless of what that stuck up…"

"HEY!" Carol warned. "She has a point; you could accept a little help now and then. We could get your things a little cleaner if you would let us. Get out of there before something tries to bite you."

"There ain’t shit in this pond that is going to bite me. Damn women they think they know it all. Don't know shit!"

 

Three days later Daryl tosses a bag of clothing at Carol's feet. She smiled at him and he mumbled "Thank you."  
"See that wasn't too hard now was it?"

He squatted near the water's edge filling a canteen. Shane knew about frogs so he left his traps in place knowing the man would check them and maybe get the kid to help. He had a lot to teach these people about survival if they would just listen.

Stevie stopped scrubbing Shane's shirt long enough to look at Daryl. His thank you to Carol although barely audible had surprised her. He could be civil, she hadn't counted on that. Daryl caught her staring at him and their eyes met. He refused to look away. For the first time Stevie looked past the rough exterior and saw the man behind his rude behavior. His serious stare and the shocking blue of his eyes seemed to pierce her soul. When he was angry with her and in her face she could handle him. But having him look into her eyes like this left her feeling naked and vulnerable. Unable to look at him any longer she quickly turned her attention back to the washing.

 

Later that night when Andrea was on watch Stevie tossed and turned. She didn't know if it was the warmth in the air or everything she had been through, but she couldn't sleep. Rick promised to show her how to use handle a gun tomorrow. She wasn't going to fire the weapon only learn the ins and outs on how to use one if she needed to. Daryl's weapon seemed to be the smartest choice. It didn't make noise and you could reuse the ammo. Her mind wandered to Daryl. One minute she hated him and the next she felt like she understood him. Something else was troubling her. Lately she had been noticing Daryl in a different way. A way that alarmed her. She couldn't get his blue eyes out of her head. And a few hours ago when she saw him stretching by the campfire she had noticed the muscles in his arms and back rippling with the movement. “Stevie you cannot like Daryl Dixon!” Her warning meant nothing because seconds later she found herself rationalizing his behavior.

 

Frustrated she flopped over onto her stomach. An inch from her face was the biggest spider Stevie had seen. Her instinct was to scream and run, but she had to stifle that urge. She couldn't help the whimpering sound that came out of her mouth.  
"Get a grip!" She said it out loud to convince herself that she was brave. Stevie pulled her bedding out of the tent keeping her eye on the spider in case it decided to move. She backed straight into Daryl. He clamped his hand over her mouth anticipating her scream. She struggled in his arms until she realized it was him.

"What the hell are you doing?" He whispered close to her ear. "I'm going to uncover your mouth, be quiet."  


As soon as his palm slid from her mouth she demanded, "Let go!"  


He had an arm around her waist and one on her bicep, holding on firmly. His mouth remained close to her ear as he spoke. "No. Tell me what is going on first."  


"I can deal with it, Let me go." Stevie knew she could handle the spider if she had too. What she couldn't handle was having Daryl's strong arms wrapped around her, holding her protectively. "Alright, I tell you. I saw a spider."  


He let go of her abruptly. "That is what all this commotion is about! A damn spider?"  


He was annoyed with her and treated her like she was a child. She didn't like to be made out to look stupid. "Spider bites can be dangerous. I was only trying to get it out of the tent. I don't need any help!"  


He looked at her bedding, saw the spider and flipped it out into the clearing. After he balled up the blankets he shoved them hard against her chest. "Those aren't poisonous. You better learn which ones are!"  


After Daryl walked away Stevie wondered what he was doing outside the tent anyway. Her last thought before sleep that night was whether or not to trust him.

 

 

The following morning Stevie was up before dawn. Rick was already there sitting on the log sharpening the stick. She wanted to ask what he planned on doing with them but decided against it. His decisions were always well thought out so she trusted him.

"Are you ready for today?" He asked.

"I think so."

"Good."

 

Later that day Carol watched her daughter and Carl do their favorite past time, throw stones off the ridge and see how long it took for them to hit bottom on the other side of the quarry. That side was a steep cliff of rough rock that dropped about twenty five feet to large boulders protruding out of the murky water. Daryl told her it used to be dry land and even though the water seemed shallow, it really went deep into the underground mines. After the Quarry had shut down in the early eighties the mine was flooded to keep the area stable and to keep people from going into the now condemned mine. He told her stories of how people had drowned trying to swim there. She didn't believe that anyone would want to swim in that disgusting water and told him so.

Stevie walked along the edge of the pond. Her lesson had gone well. Rick had told her he was positive that if she had to, she could fire the weapon. She wasn't too sure about that. She wasn't too sure about a lot of things. Carl and Sophia were a couple of feet away up on the ridge and Daryl was to her right gathering fire wood. She didn't feel like having another confrontation with him at the moment so she continued on, climbing the low grade slope that led to the ridge. She smiled when she saw what the kids were doing. Just a short time ago these kids wouldn’t have been outside they would have been playing video games for fun not skipping rocks. They looked happy and laughed as each rock went sailing. Stevie smiled too as she thought to herself, at least someone was enjoying life.

 

Stevie thought about her own love of electronics and air conditioning. Or just getting in her car and driving out if the city. She used to find places like this and enjoy nature. She laughed quietly to herself. She would give anything to hop into her car and drive back to the city so she could sit in a coffee shop and surf the Web. She doubted that they would ever get back to life as it was. Even if suddenly there was an end to the outbreak it would take years, maybe decades to repair and clean up the carnage that was left behind. And then there was the question of who was left. Who had what skills and abilities to get power restored if it could be? All of these questions seemed ridiculous in the light of their current situation. The dead kept multiplying with no end or reason in sight.

Her mood darkened as she walked but as she approached the children she forced a smile. "Hi guys." Stevie waved at them as she got closer. Both kids waved back. "Are we still on for our fishing lesson?" Stevie smiled. Carl had been taught how to fish by Andrea and he was anxious to show her how to do it too.

"You bet! I got lots of worms!" In Carl's excitement he stood up quickly, kicking Sophia's doll. Sophia shrieked in horror as her only toy rolled out of her reach and slid to the edge of the ridge. "I'm sorry Sophia.” Carl said as he got down onto his knees to reach for the toy. “I’ll get it!"

Stevie tried to grab Carl as she told him not to do it. She was too late, the boy reached out for the doll and lost his footing tumbling the same path as the toy.

 

Carol screamed when she saw Carl disappear over the edge. Stevie lunged for him and was sprawled out on the ground leaning as far over as she could.

Frantically Stevie screamed, "Oh MY God I can't hold him!"

Daryl saw the boy fall. He swore under his breath when Stevie took a dive at the boy. He dropped the fire wood and ran to them. He skidded onto his stomach next to Stevie. "Sophia go to your mother." The girl stood there shocked, unable to move until Daryl barked, "NOW!"

Rick and Lori scrambled up the embankment terrified that their son had fallen to his death.

 

Daryl reached over the ledge and grabbed at Carl until he had a firm grip. A sharp rock cut into his shoulder when the weight of the child pulled on his arm. Rick got to them first. He dropped onto the ground next to Daryl and reached for his son. Carl looked at his father terrified. "Give me your other hand! Reach up!" Rick instructed. "We got you."

As the men pulled, Stevie grabbed at anything she could, Carl's shirt and then the waistband of his pants. Rick pulled Carl to him once he was safe again. Stevie noticed the relief mixed with terror on Rick’s face. Tears rolled down Lori’s face as she wrapped her arms around them both. All Stevie wanted to do was get everyone off of the ridge and down to solid ground as quickly as possible. Daryl reached for the doll. Its dress was caught on a twig keeping it from going over the edge. When he sat up she saw the blood.  
Nothing mattered to Stevie besides the blood oozing from Daryl’s shoulder. He didn’t seem to notice. She scooted closer to him. "You're hurt!"

He got up off the ground and helped her to her feet. "I'm alright, take this." He put the doll into her hands hoping she would take it to Sophia. He didn't want her to care if he was hurt. And he didn't want to care that she risked her life for that child. All he wanted to do was survive and not care.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

"It needs stitches." Stevie finally got Daryl to sit still and let her look at the long jagged cut that began on the front of his shoulder and tore the inner flesh of his bicep. "I can try to pack it and wrap it tightly, you just won't be able to move it much for a few days."

Daryl shook his head. Trickles of blood snaked along his arm and dripped from his fingertips. A smear of blood formed across his cheek as he swiped his thumb along his jaw. "That's impossible. I need to use my arm! Cauterize it."  
Carol tried to hold a cloth to the wound. “Will you hold still? Stop moving it!”  
Daryl reached up and scratched his head giving Stevie a nice glimpse of the gaping wound. She didn’t understand how that rock cut into him so deeply. She thought about Daryl’s request to cauterize it. “I wouldn’t do that under the best of circumstances.”

Dale came rushing out of the camper. "I have thread and needles! I…I always figured we might need this."  
It turned Stevie’s stomach to think of using those items to stitch his wound. She wasn't even sure she could do it. True to his word Dale handed her a thin case with needles. One of them was a heavy duty quilting needle and most likely would work. The thread on the other hand wouldn't. Stevie smiled at Dale." Thank you, but I would need nylon thread. We have to think of something else."  
"Wait I know." Andrea ran to the camper. She went inside and came back a moment later with a section of old tenting. She began to pull the fibers off of one frayed end. The threads were thin and hard but flexible enough that it might work.  
Stevie took a deep breath. "We would need to boil them in water first and stick this needle into an open flame. I can't guarantee it will work or that you won't get an infection."

"Just do it!" Daryl barked." I need to use my arm."

"I wasn't finished."

"Jesus Christ what else is there to say!"

She wanted to tell him to shove it up his ass and walk away. He never was satisfied with the fact that she was trying to help him. He acted like she was a burden to him and that pissed her off. "I was going to say, it will hurt but let me tell you something Daryl Dixon I'm going to enjoy every minute of it!"

 

In spite of her threat she found very little pleasure in making Daryl suffer. He snarled at her and bit a hole in his bottom lip, but he never complained. He withstood the process even with the multiple times she had to stop to clean the wound or thread the needle. Most of the camp had moved away after the first stitch, unable to bear the thought of what Daryl was putting up with. Stevie was glad for that. She was nervous enough and didn't need an audience. The one person who had stuck by her side and tended to Daryl was Carol.

After the final knot was tied, Carol got him to lie back on the log and she wiped the sweat from his face. Stevie used Daryl's knife to cut strips from some old sheets Dale brought her. She had to smirk at the thought that he had once used that knife to scare her. It had worked, she has been terrified of her feeling about him ever since.

She wound the rags around his bicep but the top and worst part of the gash was in the soft part between chest and arm on the front of his shoulder. "I can't cover this section. I need you to keep it clean."  
Daryl looked at her stitches. He was mildly impressed with the work she did. Carol brought him a clean shirt and Stevie held it out for him to slip his arm into it. “I’m going to slide this piece of cloth over the wound. Try to keep it dry.”  
Daryl eyed Stevie. She looked like hell, her hair was matted to her face and one strand had stuck to her bottom lip. He wanted to reach out and sweep it away. 

Stevie glanced up from folding the cloth and her eyes locked on his. They seemed a different shade of blue, if it could be possible for them to change to the color of blue ice. Something about the way he searched her face made Stevie want to flee. "Don't move I'll be right back."

She walked quickly to the pond trying not to run. She used the excuse that she needed to wash Daryl's blood from her hands. Frustration made her nerves raw and the combination of leaning over him and fighting the tension gave her an ache in her lower spine. She told herself that was the reason for her emotional state. Against her will she gave in to the tears that had threatened to spill over since Carl slipped.

 

Andrea followed her. She wrapped her arm around Stevie's shoulders and held on tight. "You did good. I even think your patient has a better appreciation of your skills."

Stevie couldn't help but ask the question. Her emotions were out of control. Needing to fit in she whispered, "Why does he hate me?"

"Honestly?"

"Yes please tell me." Stevie watched as Andrea weighed the pros and cons of telling her the truth.

"I don't think he hates you. I think he doesn't know how to deal with the feelings he has for you."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Stevie woke up the next morning to the sound of an argument going on outside of Andrea's tent. Carol's voice was pleading.

"It's not smart. Let someone else go. Please Daryl, think about this."

"I have thought about it. I need to go! It makes sense. We agreed I would go."

"It doesn't make sense. You're hurt! How do the others expect you to go out there?"

Stevie heard enough. Daryl was planning to go out and everyone agreed he should! Were they all going crazy? She charged through the opening of the tent.

 

"I'm going with you!" Stevie stood inches from Daryl, refusing to back down.

"No, you're not! It's too dangerous. And besides that I don't want a stupid female slowing me down."

"I don't care if you won't let me I'll follow you anyway. You're hurt, or did you forget?" She took her thumb and pressed on his shoulder.

Daryl used a long line of expletives as pain shot down his arm. "You're a fucking pain in my ass!"

"Yeah well you're not so bad at that yourself! You can't do everything alone. You need m…us and you don't want to admit it! I'm going, like it or not!"

Daryl knew there was no arguing with her. "One time you get in my way… so help me...just once!" He pointed his finger in her face.

"I'm going to bite that thing off!"

He put his hand on his crotch and made a rubbing gesture. "Yeah well I got something else you can…"

Carol had a way of interrupting Daryl when he was about to say something exceptionally rude. "Daryl, I'll get your canteens ready. You two behave yourself, remember the children!"

 

"I don't like this one bit." Shane paced. "We need everyone to stay together!"

Rick wanted to let Shane talk it out but he could tell that his friend was getting more and more agitated. He knew he better help him to see reason on the matter. "And we need food. As much as I don't like Stevie going out there with Dixon, he isn't one hundred percent yet. But he is the best shot with that crossbow and none of us can afford to use the ammo for game. She's tough, she can handle him. That is if they don't kill each other first."

"Jesus, Rick how can you trust him?"

Rick put his hand on Shane's shoulder. "Because I have to and because he saved Carl."

 

They walked in silence most of the day. She was shocked at how easily Daryl moved through the area. There were times when he would stop and motion for her to get down or be quiet. The first couple of times it had terrified her. She didn't know the reason for it and assumed it was a walker. Usually though it was for Daryl to take aim at a bird or small rodent. Stevie was beginning to feel foolish for insisting that she would come along. She was positive she was slowing him down. Time and time again he proved he didn't need her. In fact she thought he was purposely taking her deeper into the woods than necessary on sheer principle.

 

Late in the afternoon they had reached a clearing near a creek.

"We'll take a break here, and get some more water, then move on to the place we'll camp for the night."

Stevie looked at him. She refused to complain because she knew that is what he was waiting for. She wasn't about to allow him to gloat.

"Oh, didn't you realize we weren't going back?" he said with mock surprise.

She wouldn't fall for his game and with a light enthusiastic manner replied. "Doesn't matter to me. What can I help you with?"

Daryl gave her a narrow eyed stare before tossing the dead bird and the squirrel at her. "Gut those."

She muttered something inaudible under her breath and Daryl said, "Excuse me?"

"Oh nothing. I just asked for your knife."

"Do you want to stick it in my back?" He raised his eyebrows and smiled at her. He had to admit she wasn't that much of a burden. She was willing to help him and had kept up with his every move. He even pushed himself a little further because she didn't seem to be phased by the long day hunting.

She reached for the long blade. "Oh no, I have a much more satisfying place I'd like to stick it."  
He laughed and Stevie was struck silent by the way his smile lit up his eyes and the sound of his laughter warmed her heart.

 

 

Ten minutes later he was impressed that she rose to the challenge, feathers were everywhere but the bird was clean. The squirrel had been stripped and was ready for the fire before Daryl even had the wood piled.

They ate in silence. Daryl showed her how to clean up the area so that there was little evidence that they had been there. He explained the steps to putting out the fire with very little smoke. She liked this side of him and wished they could be like this more often.

 

Daryl reached into the bag he had her carry that day.

Here!" he thrust a note book at her. "I wanted to give this to you when no one else was around.

She recognized it immediately. "Where did you find that?" Tears rolled down her face. Her question didn't need an answer because she knew he had been to her old camp.

"I took some other things too, nothing personal just knives and gear."

"Did you read it?" She looked up at him. His muscles bulging under his t-shirt made her think he was some sort of caveman. If she was honest they all were. The lived like primitive beings surviving day by day.

"No I didn't read it. Only the inscription."

"This was my mother's journal. She kept her life in this book." Stevie opened the book to the first page. "My dearest darling Stevie, write the sequel…" She hugged the book to her chest. "She died a week later, breast cancer. It's the only thing personal I took with me when we left. I thought it was gone forever. Thank you so much!"

 

Daryl took a seat. He gripped his shoulder as he moved and Stevie realized he was doing that quite often. "Let me look at that."

"It's alright."

"Don't argue." She pulled his shirt over to expose his shoulder. By the look of the stained cloth she almost could guess that infection was setting in. She started to unbutton his shirt; her hands were shaking making it difficult.

"What are you doing?" he grabbed her wrists. He wanted her to undress him, had fantasized about it. He told himself again that there was no way that was going to happen. It irritated him making his light hearted mood disappear.

"You need to wash that out and I'm going to have to redress it."

"Fine!" He took his shirt off tossing it in the dirt.

"Daryl?"

"What?" He turned around and glared at her as he continued to walk to the creek.

"We don't have time to wait for our clothing to dry. You're going to have to take everything off."

He yanked on his belt roughly opening the button and pulled down his zipper. "You want to watch?"

 

Stevie didn't answer him instead she turned her head to the side. She heard him jump into the water a few seconds later. When she looked back at the creek he was surfacing out towards the middle. Stevie got up and walked to the water's edge.

"Turn around please." He did and she stripped her clothing, wadding out into the deeper water. His wound prompting her to get in there with him. It was red and swollen, the homemade stitches straining against the swelling. She knew he could see her bare chest and she didn't give a damn. The need for modesty had disappeared a long time ago. Slowly she made her way out to him stepping onto the moss covered rocks gingerly. A few inches away from him she lost her footing. Daryl reached out putting his hands on her waist to steady her.

"Careful." His voice was low almost a growl.

She wondered why. Was he mad at her again for getting into the creek? He always seemed mad at her. Daryl left his hands where they landed. And Stevie hadn't realized until now that she had hers palms flat against his chest. She managed a very shaky thank you. Unable to maintain eye contact, she busied herself with checking his stitches. Stevie took a deep breath trying to still her racing heart. She shouldn't be attracted to him, the man barely tolerated her. She told herself to get it under control because she didn't need her desires to rule her actions, but touching him set her skin on fire. The knowledge that they were both naked added fuel to an already raging inferno.

 

Every rational part of his mind told him he should bend this stubborn woman over his knee and tan her hyde. He didn't want to. He wanted to pull her against him and kiss her until her lips were raw. As if by their own volition his hands pulled her to him. He bent his head bringing his face closer to hers. Their eyes met but Stevie refused to maintain eye contact. She seemed to be struggling with something, trying to voice what was going on in her head but coming up short on words. Her mouth opened and closed until she gave up and allowed her lips to part slightly. A few seconds ticked by and then she did something that was his undoing. Her tongue darted across her bottom lip. He inhaled sharply almost painfully. He was going to kiss her and nothing was going to stop him. Or so he thought.

Stevie glanced up into his eyes again. He was dangerously close to her. She felt foolish thinking she had moved closer to him with her silly ideas about needing him, wanting him. She forced herself to take a single step back. And when she did she filled the awkward moment with words. "We need to get out of here and go back to my camp."

 

Daryl couldn't believe what he heard her say. All thoughts of kissing her gone from his head in an instant. He let go of her and took a step back also. "What?" His voice rose in frustration. "Are you crazy? You are… you're fucking crazy! There is no way we are going back there. There is nothing there!" He swatted the water with his left arm to emphasize his point.

Stevie refused to back off. She stepped closer to him and defiantly looked him in the eye "I'm going, with or without you!"

"No you're not, even if I have to tie you to a tree, you are not going anywhere." He pointed at her daring her to argue.

"Your arm is infected. It could turn into blood poison."

"What does that have to do with going back to your camp? Do I have to remind you what happened the last time you were in that camp?"

Stevie knew what happened there. She didn't need him reminding her of the carnage. "You're an asshole!"

"Popular opinion and I ain’t denying it!"

 

"You listen to me. I'm thinking clearly here and worrying about your welfare when you don't give a shit about mine."

He looked away because he didn't want her to see the truth. He did care. If he didn't he would let her run in there blind. Stevie tried to make eye contact with him but he wouldn't look at her.

"Fine whatever you want to do, I'm done. You want to die from an infection fine by me. But keep in mind back at my camp Gerry buried a world war ll locker full of can goods, matches, first aid materials and Antibiotics. Everything Amanda and I took from the hospital. Medications, supplies, alcohol…it's all back there. You're the one keeping that from your own people!"

Daryl couldn't avoid her any longer. He looked into her eyes. They needed that stuff badly. It could save lives if they had it.

She couldn't read him and it infuriated her. "You know what you can be a stubborn ass and stay here. I'm going!" She spun around and tried to get away.

He lunged at her grabbing her from behind, clamping his large hand over her mouth. She could feel his chest heaving with each breath. At first she wanted to struggle, unaware of his intentions. The noise of someone or something pushing through the underbrush caught her attention. A walker stumbled out of the tree line and headed towards their camp. Stevie looked at it wide eyed trying to stifle the scream that rose in her throat.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

It didn't matter if she screamed, Daryl continued to clamp her mouth shut. He lowered them deeper into the water. Stevie's entire body began to shake. They were defenseless if the thing decided to come after them. The walker was a man, a big man. He didn't seem to have any deformities and he moved quickly. He sniffed around their clothing for a few minutes before moving on.

"Stay quiet," Daryl whispered against her ear, "I'm going to let you go. Do you understand?"

She nodded furiously. Daryl moved away from her and began wadding slowly to the creek bank. She grabbed his hand before he got too far away. Suddenly she was afraid for his safety. She shook her head back and forth wildly, trying to convince him with her eyes to stay in the water until it was safe. He touched her arm for a second. Staring into her eyes, he put his finger to his lips making a sign for her to be quiet. He scrambled up the embankment, running to his crossbow. The walker heard him and turned back around, charging. Stevie stood there in the chest high water, paralyzed by fear. Expertly Daryl put an arrow straight between its eyes.

With the danger gone, Daryl stood facing the creek. His body seemed to be chiseled from stone. Stevie couldn't help but stare at him. Unashamed of his nakedness he acted like all that had just happened was part of a regular day. When she refused to move he became impatient. "What are you waiting for? We have to go dig up that locker. Or would you rather stay here and wait for the bastards friends to show up?"

Stevie couldn't move. Her legs felt like rubber and refused to walk on command. She blamed the fear, but the truth was he took her breath away and made her weak in the knees.

Still holding the crossbow he threw his hands in the air. "Oh for Christ sakes, I'm not looking. Just get out of the water!" He barked the words at her while turning away.

"I'm not embarrassed! You want to look go ahead and look." She climbed out with a boldness she didn't feel, walking tall and proud to her clothing.

 

He watched her dress, twinges of desire running through his body. He tried to convince himself that he didn't want her and when he failed he only became angry at himself. She bore the brunt of it through his rude comments. He zipped the fly of his pants as he spoke, "If you didn't have them tits I'd swear you were a dude. You need to fatten up some, get them girly curves." He made the outline of a voluptuous woman. He turned away from her so she wouldn’t see the regret in his eyes over saying that to her. He didn’t know what the hell was wrong with him. Sometimes he opened his mouth and Merle’s attitude came tumbling out. He thought about apologizing but Stevie filled the silence.

"You really are a bastard."

"Yeah, I thought I was an asshole?"

 

Ten minutes later they came through a cluster of trees surrounded by twenty five yards of tall grass. Stevie knew the area was close to her old camp. She looked back towards the woods and scanned the grass. “Gerry told us this area was a swamp. Is it safe to cross this?” She didn’t wait for him to answer before she asked another question. "Aren't we going to keep moving?"  


"No.” He took a sip of water then handed the canteen to her. She didn’t drink anything and he showed his annoyance with a scowl.  


Stevie fidgeted on her feet. “I don’t think it is safe here. We have to get the stuff and get out of here.” A shiver ran through her body. This place was a grave yard for her friends. It really bothered her to be here.  


Daryl noticed the color had drained from her face as soon as she realized where she was. He had planned to grab everything and run but he wanted to do it by himself. The only way was to have her tell him everything and wait it out to see if the coast was clear. “Where going to camp here. Check it out tomorrow.”  


She didn’t believe what she was hearing. "Isn't it too close, to camp here? Daryl, this is insanity. We can't keep watch because we're both exhausted." Again he was irritating her. He seemed to be really good at that.

"Do you ever stop talking?" He stepped next to her and pulled her down into the tall grass. 

She tried to see what he saw, but there was nothing to see. “What’s wrong? Why are we hiding? What is it?"

"This!" He dropped to his back and pulled her on top of him. His hands tangled in her hair. He held her there for a few moments, neither of them closing the gap. He noticed the color return to her face as her cheeks flushed with anger. 

She didn't know if she should kiss him or punch him. She wanted to do both. “Is this a game to you?” She asked impatiently.

“Got ya to be quiet for a hot minute, didn’t I?” Suddenly he yanked her to her feet. "We need to move."

 

Stevie was disappointed that again he came close to kissing her but held back. Was he testing her? Was he torturing her? "Where are we going?"

"I know a place." He took her to a cluster of sturdy trees and pointed up. She followed the line he made with his finger and saw the building.

"Really, a tree house?" She shook her head. She looked at the structure. It had a plank floor with multiple support limbs, an aluminum roof and thick sticks tied together as walls. It looked only big enough for one person maybe two if the one person was small. "Did you make that?"

"No, but I improved it. Its shelter isn't it. Quit bitching."

"I didn't say anything! But I would like to know how the hell we are going to get up there. If you haven't noticed I'm not exactly a lumberjack."

"You are such a pain…"

"Yeah I know pain in your ass."

 

Daryl walked to the tree. He loosened a rope that was wound around a hook screwed into the trunk. She hadn't noticed it until he pulled on it. A ladder slid down the side of the tree. It was one of those fire escape ladders that rolled up. She had to admit it was genius and she wonder if he did that or if the previous owner had. Her question was answered a moment later when he said "I installed this instead of the ladder they had. This way once I'm up there, ain't nothing following me late at night."

"It's very cleaver."

"Is that a compliment?" he seemed surprised.

"Yes it was. Take it or leave it."

He pointed to the treehouse."Ladies first."

She almost kissed him. It was the first time he had called her anything other than broad or something rude. Sometimes Daryl Dixon could be a decent human being. That thought was cut short when she took too long to move from the ladder to the tree fort. He put his hand on her backside and shoved her through the opening.

"Son of a bitch! You couldn't wait one damn minute!"

He laughed. He could have waited he just want to touch her. He would never tell her that though.

 

She was right it was very small and if they both were going to sleep here they would be plastered to one another. She wondered if she could handle being that close to him. She scanned the space and saw hanging on a nail was a pair of binoculars and underneath them a rolled up blanket. He took them off the hook and told her to kneel facing the back of the hut.

"Look over there." He pointed and she focused on the area he had pointed to.

As Daryl pulled the ladder up and closed the hatch she said, "Is that my camp?" He didn't answer her. "How long was this here? Tell me how long!"

"Long enough."

"You… you… fuck you Daryl Dixon! Fuck you!"

"Keep your voice down." He didn't bat an eye when she screamed at him.

"All this time you knew we were there and you did nothing!" She swung at him and he caught her wrist before her hand made contact with his face. "Did you watch them die? Did you?" He held her wrist keeping her from hitting him.

"No I didn't. I was up north of here when it happened. Before that, I met Gerry. He didn't want strangers entering his camp and taking his supplies and he told me so… nicely, at the end of a shotgun. I told him I had no plans of joining his camp. We made an arrangement."

Stevie thought of the meat Gerry would bring into the camp. She thought he hunted for it but maybe he didn't. "You traded game with him didn't you?" The fire had gone out of her fight and she landed hard on her backside. Tears collected along her lashes and slowly slipped onto her cheeks. Softly she asked, "What did you get in return?"

"Access to this land. I came and went as I pleased, no questions asked. I was here the day before I found you and everyone was dead. The place was crawling with walkers. I didn't know you were part of this group."

"Because we were new to it. Gerry took us in because of the supplies we had."

They grew silent as the weight of reality settled on them. Maybe if Daryl had been in the area some of her group could have survived. Gerry had no idea how to survive like Daryl, Rick or Shane. Hell, like any of the people at camp. He horded food but he had no regard for ammo, not like Rick. He shot at anything that moved, and the one time they needed it, there wasn't a bullet left. They were defenseless and exposed because of a foolish man. But Daryl was prepared as if he waited his whole life for something like this to happen. He would have kept her safe. He was keeping her safe.

 

The knowledge that Daryl played a part in her survival long before she knew him changed Stevie's opinion of him. He was kneeling as he spread out the blanket. She pulled her end out making it lie flat. Daryl looked up at her with his eyes only. Stevie crawled to him, kneeling in front of him. Her hands found his face as she leaned her body against his. Their eyes met. In Daryl's she found a depth she only suspected existed in this man's soul. He wasn't just the harsh person people thought he was.

Again Daryl found his hands doing something he didn't want them to do. He wrapped his arms around her tiny waist and pulled her hard against him. She had moved first but it was he who took control. She stared at him with such honesty it made him want to look away. He felt vulnerable, exposed when she searched is eyes. Before he had a chance to stop this, she kissed him.

Stevie inched her mouth open giving him an invitation he couldn't ignore. His hands tangled into her hair once again as his tongue darted into her mouth. She attacked the buttons on his shirt with precision, opening each one swiftly. He lowered his hands allowing Stevie to peel his shirt off his shoulders. He was too far gone to argue with her. Too far into kissing her, making it impossible to even remember why he shouldn't take her. Daryl broke from the kiss long enough to pull her stained t-shirt over her head and unhook her bra.

Stevie used her right hand to lower her left strap of her bra. Slowly she slid it down her arm, locking her eyes on his. Fear was gone for the moment and the only thing calling her attention was her need for him. She heard the sharp intake of air he made when she uncovered her breasts. It was enough for her to know he needed her too. She reached for him again putting her hands on his hips. This time instead of covering his mouth she kissed the side of his neck.

Daryl placed his hand at the nape of her neck and with his other hand he cupped her breast. She was driving him insane with the way she open mouthed kissed her was down the side of his neck. He groaned when her hand slid to his lower back and then down onto his ass. She wanted him; really wanted him and he couldn't fight wanting her anymore.

 

He lowered her to the blanket, leaning heavily onto his right forearm. She toyed with the short hair at his temple.

"Daryl…" her voice was soft and breathy, heavy with need and desire.

He lowered his mouth to her nipple, circling the bud with his tongue before drawing on it until she gasped. He repeated the process while unbuttoning her jeans.

Stevie's mouth hung open, her breathing heavy and moist as he teased her flesh with his mouth. She felt his fingers slid into her panties making her retract her abdominal muscles. She let out a shaky breath. Her hand flew to his head as he sucked harder on her breast. Her body began to shake uncontrollably at the feel of his fingers sliding into her.

Stevie wasn't about to allow him to be the only one to explore. Her hand found the waist band of his pants but before she could reach inside he stopped her.

"Wait…"

She was disappointed until he pulled the rest of her clothing off and knelt to open his pants, sliding them down and off. Stevie allowed her knees to fall open as he inched between her legs. The kiss they shared was passionate. When he left her mouth he kissed his way to the area just below her ear. There he whispered, "I don't want to hurt you."

"Please Daryl. I want to be with you." It touched her heart that he worried about her comfort. From what she saw of his body she knew why he was concerned. She kissed him hoping to fuel the fire that had been burning so brightly a moment ago, before his doubts started creeping in.

He was pressed against her intimately. Poised to enter her with a movement of his hips, yet he hesitated. She was so small, compared to her he was huge. "I don’t want to crush you.” He warned.

“You won’t.” She reassured. She knew the way he was leaning to one side that the pressure of holding his own weight was too much for his injury. "I’m fine Daryl. I need you.” He pushed into her and she gasped. She hadn’t had sex in a year and a half and wasn’t quiet used to a man of his girth. On a shaky breath she whispered, "Again."  
Slowly she matched his movements making both of them breathless and sweat covered. He didn't expect her to be pleading with him to push harder, faster and he certainly didn't expect her gasping release. It was enough to take him swiftly to the edge and bringing him to climax seconds later.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The sun was almost gone, making the sky a beautiful shade of pink. A few birds flew by the fort getting ready to nest for the night. Stevie and Daryl were already very comfortable in their hideout. Too bad they couldn't live like this, above the dead, in a world of their own. But she knew that reality would be shattered eventually. They would need to come down and the dead would soon figure a way to get to them. She hoped none of them could defy gravity and climb the tree trunk. She willed those thoughts away putting her focus on Daryl, absorbing the feel of his skin on hers. She couldn't get enough of him.

He kissed her tenderly while looking into her eyes. He was rough and demanding but he took care of her needs making sure she was ready for all that he did. The man she was lying tangled with now, was polar opposites of the man the camp knew him to be. If she was honest she would have to admit she liked and trusted both sides of his personality. Why couldn't she have found him before the outbreak? She could have thoroughly enjoyed what he had to offer. Her rational voice warned, 'You wouldn't have liked him before the outbreak.' Stevie knew that to be the truth. She would have hated him and not given him a second glance. Now though, she wasn't entirely sure how she felt about him. The here and now, this very minute before sleep, with their bodies against one another, she thought she could fall in love with him.

Daryl looked at her through heavy, sleep deprived eyes. Sometimes he couldn't tell if her eyes were brown or green, maybe even a light shade of blue. Tonight though, they seemed a fiery shade of emerald. He lazily stroked his thumb along her jaw. He liked how this felt, the closeness, and the way she drew a pattern across his back with her fingertips. For the first time in a long time Daryl forgot the world below, concentrating only on the beautiful woman in his arms.

 

Stevie didn't know if it was the exhaustion, sex, or perhaps she finally felt safe enough with Daryl holding her. Whatever the reason she had the best night sleep she'd had in a long while. She woke up with the blanket wrapped around her craving pancakes and coffee. Oh God how she longed for coffee. She rolled over thinking maybe she would give him a wakeup call he would never forget. She was alarmed to find Daryl was gone.

Stevie fumbled with her panties finally getting her feet into them. She slipped her jeans on pulling them both up simultaneously. She didn't bother buttoning them or searching for her bra. She got the t-shirt over her head but before she put both arms through the sleeves she grabbed for the binoculars. She knew where to look. The thickheaded jerk went out to her camp alone!

 

He was grateful Stevie had a good memory. The shovel was where she said it would be and he found the small mound of dirt almost immediately. The last time he had been in this camp he barely made it out. He couldn't tell her that. She only needed to know he had come here. Daryl dug as far as he could until his shovel hit metal. He cringed at the sound knowing it was loud enough to call out the walkers. He wanted to get this stuff and go back to the hut until things settled down. He didn't need to be running from walkers right now.

"You stupid fuck!" he said the words out loud when he saw the cash piled on the top of the supplies. "Like this shit is ever going to be worth anything again."

 

Stevie could see him throwing paper into the air and as it started fluttering to the ground she focused the lens, realizing it was money. She silently prayed that Gerry had filled the locker with food and the supplies like he said he would. Movement caught her attention and she scanned the area. A group of walkers made their way towards Daryl. "No! Come on Daryl hurry up, get out of there. Turn around please turn around!"

 

He shoved all of the food into the bag and as much of the medical supplies that would fit. He heard shuffling behind him and glanced over his shoulders. He kept at it until he absolutely had to run. He wouldn't fire crossbow unless it was necessary because with the amount of dead here he couldn't go back for his arrows. He ran and then remembered the medicine. "Aw fuck!" he dropped the bag and ran back to the locker skidding to a stop, dropping to his knees. He dug through the shit Gerry thought was important until he found a zip lock bag and then another.

 

A lifeless hand reached out and grabbed Daryl's shoulder. Stevie gasped as Daryl sprung to his feet and shook off the walker. She watched in horror as he ran to the bag, forgetting about his injury he hoisted the heavy backpack onto his shoulder. She saw the look of agony on his face as he dropped to his knees in pain. She couldn't stay here and do nothing she had to go to him. She had to help him or die trying. She pulled the hatch open. Below her a walker clawed at the tree trunk. She knew him, it was Gerry. The idea that one of her crew could be a walker made her physically ill. Panicked she grabbed for the binoculars again. Walkers swarmed the area where Daryl fell. There were too many and she couldn't see him. Something caught her eye on the ground something orange. She focused the lens again and it came into view, an arrow from Daryl's crossbow. She doubled over and screamed, "NO! NO!"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

She lowered the ladder deciding if Daryl was gone she had no hope of ever getting out of there alive. And what was the point. She wouldn't have anything to live for. She started climb down when an arrow sliced through Gerry's skull. She looked out to the clearing in enough time to see Daryl fling the crossbow over his shoulder, making it dangle down his back.

"What the hell are you doing? Get back up there!" He screamed.

She scrambled back into the tree fort grabbing the bag from him as he climbed up.

"Hurry Daryl, please hurry!" She could see them coming, surrounding them.

He pulled the ladder up and slammed the hatch shut. He hoped none of the walkers decided to work together and figure out how to get up to the fort. He didn't think it was possible for them to have rational thoughts. All they wanted was to feed.

 

Stevie watched Daryl sit there and catch his breath. He propped the crossbow against the same wall of the hut he leaned against. She didn't think she would see him again and here he was sitting across from her. Suddenly she smacked him hard on the arm "You could have been killed you big jerk!" Tears rolled down her face in spite of her trying to will them away.

Daryl gathered her into his arms and held her. "I'm alright see? I'm here. I couldn't risk having you out there with me in case I had to get away quick."

She sat up refusing to allow him to hold her. "And I just slow you down right?"

"I didn't fucking say that. Why do you always have to assume you know everything?"

"Fine I don't know anything. I don't know if you even give a shit that I was scared for you! I thought you were... you were…" She dropped her head forward her tears coming in rivers, rolling down her face.

"Stevie…look at me… LOOK AT ME!" His hands held her upper arms, but he wanted to pull her into a tight embrace. When she raised her head and looked at him he moved his hands to the sides of her face. "If anything happens to you…" It took quite some time and plenty of deep breaths before he went on. "I wouldn't have worried about myself. I would have worried about you. That makes me dangerously unaware of my surroundings. I can't take that risk. Do you understand? I don't care about me, but I can't lose you."

She fell against his chest and allowed him to hold her. He kissed her on the top of the head a few times before leaving his mouth pressed against her hair. He was falling for her, and it would be a mistake to do so, but he couldn't help himself.

 

Stevie didn't know how long she clung to Daryl, listening to the sound of his heartbeat. Knowing he was alive and here with her made her realize she never wanted to be away from him again. With that knowledge came the reality that there was a worse fate than having him die. He could live and tell her he didn't want her.

The herd of deer Daryl had been tracking before they decided to spend the night here, moved in to the clearing. The dead went after them leaving the hut alone. He looked at her face and knew she was worried about the animals. "You do know I plan on making them dinner?"

"I know but I don't have to like it. It's a shame you won't have the chance now."

He smiled at her. "They may be relentless but they'll never catch them. You can relax Bambi will live another day."

"Are you making fun of me?"

He laughed and she swatted him again.

"Damn it woman I got one bad arm and I don't need you smacking the other!"

"I'm sorry." Stevie looked at him suddenly serious.

He laughed again and pulled her onto his lap. "You're too easy. You couldn't hurt a fly." His kiss cut off her protests.

Stevie began to open his shirt. She was getting really good at it. He responded immediately, pulling her against him, kissing her neck.

"Now who's easy? But not so fast I'm only checking your wound." He whined like a child, making Stevie laugh. "Behave yourself."

He refused to listen and groped at her as she reached for the bag. "Later…"

"No, now…"

He cut her words off again as he pulled her to the floor, moving his body over hers.

"Daryl Dixon you are the most hard headed man I know!"

He pushed his hips against hers. "Hard ain't a strong enough word for it."

 

XXX

Shane paced as he spoke."They should have been back already!" 

Andrea waited a few moments before replying. "Daryl knows this area better than anyone he'll get back."

"Yeah but he's not alone. He's putting her at risk."

"She chose to go if I remember correctly. You need to get some sleep. We both do."

Rick joined them. "She's right, go rest. We'll deal with it if they don't come back today."

Shane opened his mouth to argue but decided it wasn't worth confronting Rick, not about this. He stormed off to his tent.

Andrea hung back a few moments. "He's like a lit firecracker."

Rick nodded. He had watched his friend slowly unravel these past few weeks. He was dangerous to say the least. Rick didn't know for sure if he was more of a threat to himself or the whole camp. "Get some rest Andrea. You have one more shift of night watch this week."

As Andrea lay on her bedding she thought of Shane. Later after she had a solid sleep she would talk to Rick about switching partners for her watch shifts. She couldn't trust Shane to be stable enough to protect their safety.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Daryl was lying on his side with his arm draped over her. The steady rhythm of his breathing telling her he was asleep. Her position on her back made it easy for her to watch as the wind whipped the leaves and small branches of the surrounding trees. Off in the distance the sky was getting dark with storm clouds rolling in. The roof provided shelter from the storm so she didn't worry about getting wet, although the water would be a welcome reprieve from the dust and dirt that always seemed to cling to their skin. A crack of thunder and a few flashes of lightening made her worry. What if their tree got struck? What if the wind was too strong for the structure? What if they were forced to get out of the shelter before day light?  
Slowly she slid her body out from under the weight of his arm. She didn't want to wake him, not yet.

"Where are you going?" he reached for her, pulling her closer to him.

Stevie's nerves were already on edge so when he spoke her body quivered in fear. "I'm not going anywhere." Her voice cracked when she tried to speak making a high pitched squeak before the words tumbled out of her mouth.

"Are you afraid of me?" he sat up suddenly. "After all we've been through?" Daryl leaned his upper body away from her, putting space between them. He was disgusted by the idea that she didn't trust him.

"No, please don't think that." Stevie caressed his face. "I'm just a little worried about the storm. That is all." She kissed him softly. "I'm not afraid of you. I've trusted you with my life. Believe it. Believe me when I tell you I'm only reacting to the lightening."

Daryl relaxed a little, but he still felt unnerved by her jumpiness. It had been a tense day, and although he had been comfortable in her arms enough to go to sleep, her sudden movements had put him on alert once again.

Stevie could feel the tension oozing from every pore in Daryl's body. Knowing her words were not enough to ease his mind she straddled his lap. Tenderly she kissed along his cheekbone to his ear. She couldn't help or stop the need to nibble his earlobe before open mouth kissing his neck and jaw.

Cocky and sure of himself he pushed on her shoulders until she looked him in the eye. He smiled at her. "Didn't get enough yet?"

She reached between them, grabbing his swollen member. "I don't hear any complaints."

"None at all." He lay back against the plank flooring, allowing her to do as she wished. He was happy when she rewarded him by slowly sinking down onto his throbbing shaft. She licked her lips seductively as he slid between her folds filling her completely.

Stevie rode him slowly, going up on her knees and then pushing back against him. The movements making her breasts bobble up and down, tempting him. He reached out, cupping one round globe in his palm, feeling the weight of it as he pinched her nipple. Stevie had her chin to her chest, her hands smoothed across his pectoral muscles and up to his shoulders as she continued to rock on his hips. Her head rolled to the side and then back, exposing her neck. That was Daryl's undoing. He sat up grabbing her hips, literally lifting her up and shoving her back down onto the floor of the hut.

"I can't take this slow torturous fuck!" He growled the words against her windpipe, crawling over her. Roughly he shoved into again and again. Their cries drowned out by the sound of rain beating down on the roof of the shack.

 

He hadn't slept in a bed for far too many weeks to count, but that wasn't the reason for the sharp pain in his shoulder and the ache in his lower back. He groaned as he stretched. Stevie understood his sore muscles and the pain he was feeling. Her body felt just as bad. There was one difference, Daryl's wound was infected and looked like hell. She reached for the medical supplies and began pulling out the necessary items. When she brought out a syringe from the bag he shook his head.

"You're not sticking me with that thing."

"Oh for God's sake, Daryl, it's only a little needle!"

He huffed at her when she mentioned God. She knew Daryl was in survival mode and wouldn't accept any reasoning suggesting a God or spiritual opinion. He believed he was out there alone and it was up to him to survive this, without help, human or otherwise. She pulled out a bottle of pills, rolling her eyes at him.

"For fucks sake, afraid of a little needle, fine, take the pills! Get the canteen over there." When he rolled over to reach for the canteen, exposing his backside, she jammed the needle into a meaty area just left of his hip.

"God damn it woman, stuck me in my ass when I told you not too!" He rubbed the area.

She smiled, damn proud of herself and enjoying the fact that the medication burned when administered in a quick dose like that. "Oh look who has found religion!"

"Fuck you!"

"I'm too tired! You need that and I'm not taking no for an answer. You will let me give you the shots, twice a day."

Daryl glared at her. "Pain in the ass. I should have left you back at camp!"

 

She ignored his complaints and went to work getting the things she needed to clean his wound. He wasn't going to like what she had in mind, but it was the only way. If she didn't help him get rid of that infection he would die.

Daryl continued to glare at her for a few minutes. He wanted to give her a shot in the ass with his foot. He never met a woman that infuriated him quite like her. She made him so angry that he wanted to spank her naughty ass like a child. And then other times he wanted to hold her, kiss her, love her, for the rest of his life. To him that was more frustrating than when she made him angry. Anger he could deal with. Sometimes he yelled and swore his frustrations out. Other times he burned them off with hot punishing sex. But love; there was no way of dealing with love in this world.

Daryl's mind seemed a mile away and she laughed when he put his pants on.

"Are you afraid I'm going to stick you again?"

"No, I'm not afraid! I just don't want you getting any more ideas!"

She dressed too. And after a little stalling she straddled his lap once again sitting on his thighs.

"I can't. Not again, not now!" He looked her in the eyes. He was stunned by her desire for him and enjoyed every minute of it, but he was exhausted.

"I can't either and you're not going to like what I have in mind anyway."

"What now?" His voice was a low warning rumble, dangerous and mean.

"I have to take your stitches out…" Barely audible she added, "And cut away the infected tissue."

"And how do you plan on doing that!" He gripped her biceps in both hands, snarling at her with each word.

Stevie looked down at his knife.

"You have got to be fucking kidding!"

 

He didn't say another word after that. He gritted his teeth through the entire process. Sweat poured down his face and she felt him tremble under her. She knew this was painful and any normal person would scream. Daryl endured it. When she was finally done and he was lying on his back, fresh surgical dressing covering his wound, Stevie sprawled out next to him on the floor, hugging his waist. She sobbed heavily and instead of comforting him, he soothed her by kissing her forehead and whispering softly.

"It's alright… come on now, it’s okay."

Stevie didn't want to cause him pain. She didn't want to hurt him at all. She wanted to love him, to tell him she did and have a normal life with him. It wasn't going to happen and that made her tears come harder. She doubted if they would ever be able to say those words to each other. She doubted that they would ever live long enough to see the end of this. And she doubted that there would be an end besides the one she envisioned, of watching each of the people she cared about, die.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Stevie woke up to a thumping sound she couldn't place. It sounded like someone was kicking sandbags. Daryl wasn't in the tree fort and the hatch was open. She scrambled to the opening and peered down at the ground below. Daryl was kicking Gerry's corpse. She climbed down. "What are you doing? Don't do that!"

"Why… the… fuck… not! You've thought about it, admitted it!"

She wanted to kick him. "Daryl, stop!" She pulled on his arm.

"Why? You give me one reason I should show that son of bitch some respect? All he thought about was his own damn self!"

She wanted to scream at him. He reminded her of her own anger towards Gerry and his failure to protect them, but she also felt loyal to the man. He couldn't change what happened to him. "Because…"

"Why? Because why?"

"Because he took us in. If he didn't take us in, Amanda and I would have died the first week. And I wouldn't have…"

"What wouldn't you have? Tell me? You wouldn't have all of this?' he threw his hands in the air gesturing with his middle fingers to their surroundings. "This great life you're living?" Daryl stopped pacing long enough to look at her.

She was going to say she wouldn't have met him and she wouldn't love him if Gerry was still alive. "Fuck you Daryl Dixon. Go on kick the dead all you want. I'm going back to the camp!"

"Stop!" Daryl warned her.

"No! I'm going back, you can't keep me here, and I know which way to go!"

"For Christ sake, don't move!" He raised his bow and shot an arrow straight into the head of a snake.

Every muscle in Stevie's body began to quake. When Daryl raised his bow and pointed it at her she had a brief moment of panic that he was about to shoot her. She didn't see the snake until it was dead. He marched over to her, keeping his eyes locked on hers as he pulled the arrow out of the ground. The snake dangled from it. "Looks like we got dinner." His words were hissed at her deliberately mocking.

Stevie watched the snake dangle. He noticed and gave the arrow a little wiggle. Its tail wobbled and she couldn't help watching it. Her knees felt as weak and shaky as snake. Suddenly the world went out of focus and swirled around her. She heard a hum in her ears and then Daryl's panicked voice second's before it went black.

 

"Stevie!" Daryl saw her eyes roll back in her head. Her knees gave out and she pitched forward. He caught her seconds before she hit the dirt. "Son of a bitch! Not now. Come on sweetheart you have to wake up." He slapped her softly on the cheek trying to rouse her awake. When that didn't work he nailed her one on her ass.

Her eyes opened and she looked at him confused. She didn't understand why he was holding her across his lap or why she felt so weak. Slowly more things came into focus and she remembered the argument.

"Whoa slow down. Don't get up yet." Daryl warned.

"Did you hit me?" She rubbed the spot he had slapped. "I'm going home! Fuck this shit and fuck you, I'm going home.

She started to step away from him but he grabbed her wrist. "Camp is back that way."

"I'm not going back to camp."

"Yes you are, we both are." Daryl was angry with her but something in her eyes told him to be careful with what he said.

"I'll take us back and you'll be safe, I promise." He really didn't like to make promises he couldn't keep. The truth was no one was safe and probably never would be again.

"I want to go home, Daryl."

She was slowly getting hysterical. Tears rolled down her face in a steady stream. He could see her shaking from the top of her head to the soles of her feet. Stevie had reached her breaking point. He pulled her against him.

"I…I just want to go home. I… want… to sleep… in my own bed. I want to see my cat again. I just want to go home!"

He held her tightly, kissing the top of her head. "I know…shh…I know"

 

"Rick! Rick you need to come quick!" Dale paced on the top of the camper waving his arms wildly but basically maintaining a soft voice.

"What is it?" The commotion got everyone's attention. Lori asked Rick as he climbed up to Dale.

Shane stood with the butt of his shotgun pressed firmly against his shoulder. His irritation rising. Before Rick returned the camp they came to him when there was a problem. Not anymore, now they always looked to Rick.

"They're headed this way." Dale confirmed what Rick saw in the binoculars. A group of dead moved slowly over the rough terrain. He was glad that they had already begun and almost finished packing up the camp. They had a plan to move south yesterday but Daryl didn't return. It was the only reason they hadn't gone yet. That group would be close enough to do damage in about fifteen minutes. Rick handed the binoculars back to Dale. "We've got to move and we have to do it now!"

Rick climbed down telling everyone to gather the rest of their things. Carol ran alongside Rick as he jogged to Daryl's section of camp. "We're just going to leave them? We can't do that to her!" She grabbed Rick's arm. "She trusted us! And what about Daryl? He's one of us!"

"I know you want to wait for them. We can't risk losing our lives! Daryl has his bike he will get them out of here. If anyone can he can. Carol please I need you to help Lori get the children into the truck, now!"

"If? You're willing to stand by, if? How about making sure he can get them out before we leave!" She looked at him in disgust refusing to do as he asked.

Rick began pushing Daryl's bike into the woods. Glenn saw what he was doing and ran to help him.

Shane joined the group. He didn't like the fact that Rick made all the decisions for them but he knew this was the right one. The cop in Shane understood that minimal loss of life plans were always the best route to take in a situation like this. "That's what he's doing. He's making sure they have a way out of here. Stop arguing! Take care of your daughter! And Carol, Stevie is one of our group too!"

"We've got to hide this, as much as possible but easy for Daryl to find it." Glenn nodded at Rick. Five minutes later the camp was on its way. Carol looked out the window of the camper. She was angry that they were leaving Daryl behind. And if it wasn't for that girl Daryl would be back already. The more she thought about it the more she was positive Stevie was nothing but trouble.

 

Wordlessly Daryl gathered their things together. She had calmed down and was sitting against the wall of the hut. He still worried about her because she had grown so quiet. Normally she argued with him about everything but now she just stared into space and allowed him to dictate to her what they were going to do.

He said it was time to go so she followed him down the ladder. She used the rope to pull it back up and secured it on the nail just like he showed her the first day they had come. Leaving here meant saying goodbye to the life she once lived and the one she had thought she had with him. Sadness settled into her heart at the idea of going back to camp. Daryl would be different there. He wouldn't want to be with her or let anyone know that their relationship had changed. She had fooled herself into thinking that if she couldn't have a happy life in this world at least she could find a little bit of joy with him. He made it clear that this wasn't the life he wanted.

 

They walked back, stopping at the creek once again. This time there wasn't any undressing or getting into the water. This time all they did was fill the canteens and move on. She was shocked how short the journey actually was. When they first started out from camp they were hunting and followed the tracks of small game. She hadn't realized that what they must have done was zigzag through the woods. She would have never made it back here alone. That thought didn't give her comfort. Daryl hadn't wanted her to go back on her own because he knew she wouldn't have found camp. Not because he cared about her and wanted her to stay with him.

"Get down!" He used his hand on her shoulder to push her down onto her knees. He leaned over her shoulder pointing the crossbow out in front of them.

"What is it?"

"Come on!"

He didn't speak beyond those few words and she didn't care to question him. She just followed him like a lost puppy. He pulled fern type branches away from his bike. She hadn't seen it there and would have walked right by it.

"Why is this…what's happening?" She looked out at camp, or what should have been camp. For the first time she noticed the tents were gone and so was Dale's camper. Everything was gone and everyone. Stevie never felt so lost, so disoriented as she did now. "What is happening? Daryl what the hell is going on?"

The panic was back in her voice and he could see a wild look in her eyes. He grabbed her shoulders and slid his hands to her face. His kiss was soft at first but rapidly turned to a deep passionate one. When he pulled back she was still staring at him wide eyed.

"They've gone south. I know where they went."

"They left us? How could they just leave?"

"Something must have happened. We've got to get out of here now." He got on the bike and kicked the kickstand up. Stevie stared at him. "Get on!"

"I…I've never… I can't!"

"Yes you can. Get on! Damn it woman do not make me lift your skinny fucking ass onto this bike and take you by force!"

"You're a real prick."

"Oh so you hate me again! Good at least you feel something. Don't fall the fuck off!" The bike roared to life and Daryl took off. Stevie clung to him, calling him every name she could think of. He couldn't hear any of them over the rumble of the motor.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Daryl rode until they couldn't go any further without stopping to find some kind of shelter. He didn't tell her he had been looking at the houses they passed in hopes of finding something. He doubted she would listen to him anyway. He could still feel the tension in her body as she clung to him. Part of him enjoyed the fact that she was afraid of being on the bike and another part wanted to ease her fears. He felt her settle into ridding though, suspecting the only reason she gripped him as tightly as she did was because she wanted to strangle him.

Daryl turned the bike around after they past a farmhouse. Stevie yelled over the roar of the bike, "What are you doing? Why are we going back?"

Driving up the dirt road to the house, he pretended to not be able to hear her. Judging by the open door and the broken windows the house was empty. This sight was common to see along the back roads of Georgia.

 

Daryl parked the bike behind the barn and together they walked through the barn and down to the house. He wasn't surprised to find the house empty and ransacked. Stevie looked around the room. "Are we going to try to stay here?" She rubbed her arms as if chilled. They hadn't seen any dead and that made her more nervous than seeing them.

"Come with me." Daryl led her out of the room and onto the porch.

"Where are we going?"

"I've got to put the bike in the barn now that it's cool." Daryl gestured to the barn with the crossbow.

"Go ahead." She refused to walk the rest of the stairs.

"Damn it Stevie, I'm not leaving you here alone. Let's go."

"Why? I'm not helpless." She crossed her arms.

He spun on his heels muttering rude things under his breath. He got five feet away when he turned back and ran to the steps. He lifted her off of them tossing her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "When I say you come, you come! Understand?"

She pounded her fists onto his back. "Put me down!" So help me Daryl Dixon when you put me down… you better…you better…" She couldn't think of a threat big enough to match this jerks ego. "Fucking put me down now!"

"No!" Daryl drawled the single syllable word out making it sound like two instead of one.

 

The trek to the barn was a slight incline but Daryl carried her the entire way. He laughed when she struggled. "Woman you are light as a feather I could carry you all the way to the winter camp if I wanted to. So go ahead struggle, I like a little bit of a fight!"

Stevie watched as her long hair dangled over her head. She used to have beautiful hair. Now it was just a tangled dingy mess. In the house she noticed a hairbrush on one of the dressers. She longed to wash her hair and uses a brush on it. She had been without luxuries like that for far too long. She almost laughed out loud because not long ago a shower wasn't even considered a luxury to her. She was going to go back to that house if he liked it or not. For once she wanted to feel a little bit like a normal human being. Besides, there might be something inside the house that they could use.

She saw the crossbow sway back and forth when he walked. It irked her that he could hold her so expertly with only one hand, no matter how much she struggled. He was just too strong for her. She half wished he would have forgotten about his injury and tried to pick her up on that side. He didn't though. If she wanted down bad enough she could just push her thumb into his wound. The problem was Stevie cared too much for the man. As much as he pissed her off she still loved him. Knowing she did made her anger level rise.

"You can kiss my ass, Daryl Dixon!"

Daryl looked at her backside. The way he had her hoisted over his shoulder placed her ass right next to his face. "As you wish, princess." He noisily placed a kiss in the center of her left back pocket.

 

Stevie was furious that he called her princess. Not once did she demand anyone treat her differently or wait on her. She did more than her fair share of the work and helped him countless times throughout this trip. How dare he imply anything else? When the crossbow swung back again she grabbed one of the arrows from it and poked him in the ass hard.

Daryl yelped, dropping her into the dirt, rubbing the area she poked. "You fucking…Fuck! What the fuck did you do that for! I outta…"

Stevie scrambled to her feet. "You outta… what?" Although she was trying to be brave she backed up when he moved closer to her. She held the arrow with both hands now almost as if it was shield.

Daryl liked the look of fear he saw in her eyes, knowing she wasn't really afraid of him but more of what he was about to do to her for poking him. He easily snatched the arrow from her hand, dropping it and the crossbow to the dirt. stepping over them.

Stevie felt the barn against her back. She had no place to retreat to and he kept moving closer. Instinctively she pushed her body as close to the wall as she could, bringing her hands up, elbows in. Daryl didn't care. It didn't stop him from shoving his body against hers. She stood on her toes defiantly looking into his eyes. "You deserved that. I am not a princess!" Stevie could feel his arousal pressed firmly against her. She wouldn't admit it but she was equally turned on by his forcefulness.

He looked at her with narrowed eyes, growling his words at her, "And you deserve this!"

 

If she thought he was going to kiss her she was sadly mistaken. He pulled her away from the barn spun her around and swatted her backside like a naughty child. "I've been dying to take you over my knee since we've met! Stop giving me reasons to do it!"

She struggled to get away from him. He didn't swat her hard but he still gave her a couple of flat palmed slaps that stung a little. She was going to shove that arrow so far up his ass that he would be able to use it as a toothpick. She thought about telling him that but they both ended up on the ground.

He shoved her onto her back, straddling her waist. Daryl pinned her arms above her head, holding them with his strong hands. He lowered his face to within inches of hers, "Stop fighting me! Stop arguing about every decision I need to make! Just stop doing all those annoying as hell little fucking things you do!"

Stevie wanted to slap him, kiss him and choke him all at one time. He made her so angry yet she needed and wanted him just as fiercely. "Then stop being an assho-"

He didn't let her finish, his kiss was as punishing as the spanking he gave her. She melted into it a few moments later. He released her hands, moving his to her ribs. Tangling her fingers into his hair, she wished he wasn't straddling her so he could fit perfectly between her legs and she could wrap hers around him. Daryl froze and Stevie's eyes flew open when the distinct sound of a revolver's hammer being set, broke the silence.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Daryl felt the strong arms of a man lift him off of Stevie and a fist connected with his jaw. The man was big with a meaty hand almost the size of Daryl's face. He estimated the man to be close to three hundred ponds and maybe six foot five. He held Daryl against the side of the barn with his feet dangling a couple of inches off the ground.

Stevie watched the kid holding the gun. He was tall just like the other young man but not nearly as bulky. His hands shook as he pointed the weapon at Daryl. He couldn't be any more than 18 years old if that. She also guessed by the way he held the gun it was empty. She wouldn't take the chance though, not with Daryl's life.

The kid's voice squeaked and broke when he spoke making Stevie reconsider his age. "Are you okay ma'am?"

The big guy slammed Daryl against the wall again. "We don't take kindly to rapists around hear."   
Stevie took a chance and stood up. "What? Oh my God put him down! He wasn't hurting me!"   
Daryl tried to fight free but the guy was just too big. Stevie turned her back on the gunman and tried to pull the one off Daryl. "Stop it, don't do that to him!"

"Rape? What the Fuck? Stevie, tell them, tell them I wouldn't hurt you, not that way!"

The younger of the two pointed the gun at Stevie, waving it between her and Daryl as he spoke. "Why are you protecting him? You don't have to, we saw him hit you."

Stevie stepped closer to the boy moving deliberately between him and Daryl. She put her hands up in a non-threatening way. "Listen to me, he wasn't hurting me. Please, I…" She swallowed hard. She didn't want to tell Daryl she loved him, not yet not like this. "Please, we'll just leave. We won't bother you. Let him go."

The big man dropped Daryl to his feet. His pride hurt, Daryl tried to shake the man's hand off of him. "What the fuck is your problem?" The guy’s answer was a backhand across the mouth that sent Daryl sprawling to the ground.

"Stop it! Don't you touch him again! I love him!" Stevie lunged at Daryl making sure she used her body to shield Daryl. "You people are crazy!" Tears rolled down her face. She held Daryl's face in her hands, his lip was bleeding and she touched the blood with her thumb.

He looked at her and then cast a warning snarl at the two boys. He wanted to knock their heads together for making her cry. It broke his heart to see the big tears roll down her cheeks and to watch her lip quiver. Daryl cupped her chin using his thumb to brush away a tear. "I'm okay." At this moment he didn't give a damn about the two assholes standing there, all he cared about was her.

 

A voice they hadn't heard before called out. "Boys, that's enough! Get back inside!" The boys turned their heads in the direction of the house, then without another word or glance back at Daryl and Stevie they turned and walked away. A tall thin woman moved from the shadow created by the barn out into the late evening sun. She was wearing a floral print house dress that buttoned down the front. The style, much like the tight bun she wore on the top of her head, seemed much too old for her. She didn’t wear jewelry besides a single thin gold wedding band and a beaded chain around her neck to hold a pair of reading glasses. She folded her hands in front of her. With a strict school teacher’s voice she said, "I apologize for my boys, they’re very protective."

"Well maybe you need to train them right." Daryl helped Stevie to her feet. The anger he felt evident in every movement, radiating from him like a heat source. "Let's go." He pulled Stevie's arm heading towards the bike.

The woman's voice stopped him. "We've got shelter! Gasoline and food. That's what you were looking for, wasn't it?"

"You think I'm going to stay with those lunatics you're out of your cotton picking mind!" Daryl spit blood into the dirt.

"Daryl…" Stevie held his forearm. "…it's almost dark."

He gritted his teeth, glared at her and then glared at the woman. He didn't want to admit they were right, he didn't have much choice. "You keep them sons a bitches away from her, ya here?" Daryl flung his crossbow over his shoulder. "Cause I don't miss." 

She began to walk towards the house. "We best get inside. We've been fortunate enough that we haven't seen many of those creatures here. They don't know we exist and I intend to keep it that way. The name's Lydia but you can call me Liddy. Been called that my whole life, don't answer to nothing else."  
Liddy shielded her eyes from the sun. Stevie noticed how pale she looked and the boys if she recalled weren’t very tan either. She looked at her own forearm. Compared to this woman Stevie’s light complexion looked sun kissed. The house was empty, she was sure of that. So where were they hiding? Somewhere dark was all she could think of. 

The answer was an underground storm cellar behind the house. Liddy held the hatch open while Daryl climbed inside. Stevie was next. She made it half way down the ladder before feeling his strong hands on her waist. He lifted her off of the rungs setting her feet firmly onto the ground. She smiled at the way he cared for her. He always made sure she was safe. At the moment Stevie couldn't think of anything about him that made her angry. "Thank you." She whispered, kissing him square on the mouth.

Daryl winced with the kiss. His lip stung from being slapped by that prick. He wondered what the big moron would do staring down the business end of one of his arrows. He didn't have time to think about it because Liddy came down the ladder and he helped her off of it.

"Why thank you kindly. Forgive me for not doing a proper introduction. You've met my boys. The big one is Bobby and that there is Jake."

"I'm Stevie and this is Daryl."

Jake looked closely at Stevie. He shouldered his way between the two of them glaring at Daryl as he passed. "Unusual name for a girl."

"It ain’t that unusual. Suits my girl just fine."

Stevie had to smile. It wasn't all that long ago that he had taunted her about her name. Now he was defending it and calling her his girl. Was he a little jealous? She also had to laugh at the way his southern drawl came out thicker than normal while he was around these people.

"Jake, you just hush your mouth!" Mid warning Liddy turned away from her son towards Stevie. "Would you like to get cleaned up? We have hot water and a shower." Liddy tempted Stevie with the prospect of a proper washing.

Daryl glanced around the room. The walls were lined with shelving that held can goods and home canning jars filled with food and supplies. He didn't see sleeping quarters or a shower. Something didn't seem right about this. His uneasiness showed by the way he gripped the crossbow.

 

Liddy walked to one of the crowded shelves and reached inside, it gave way, swinging into a large room that was completely concealed. Stevie thought of the things she had seen in movies and TV just like this, hidden passageway. This seemed too ridiculous to be true. Daryl didn't bat an eye. He acted like this was an everyday event and everyone had one of these in their basement or storm cellar.

The room was well lit and cool. The hum of electronics, refrigerator, and something she didn't recognize as an air handling system, greeted them as soon as they walked into the room. The main part of the cellar looked like a basement style family room, equipped with couch, recliner, plank style dining table and chairs. Bobby flopped onto the couch as soon as they were inside. Jake hung back standing near the door way.

To their left along the wall stood a dry sink holding plates and serving dishes. Next to that was a very old stainless steel double sink. On the other end of the room to the right and opposite the kitchen was a set of bunk beds nestled into the corner. A rolling cot was folded and standing at the end of the beds. Beyond that in the other corner, Stevie could see a crude plank door with rusted door hinges. She could only guess what was behind that door.

Liddy noticed Stevie looking at it. "Mine and Big Jimmy's sleeping quarters" She spoke to Daryl. "I'll make a place out here for myself and allow you and your misses to sleep there. Daryl was about to correct her on the marriage aspect but Jake interrupted.

"Ma, you keep your room. I'm sure our guests won't mind bunking out here with Bobby and me."

"Hush, I sleep out here more than I sleep in there anyway. Not since your Pa and J.R. left. If I want to use my room for guests it's my say not yours."

"Yes ma'am." Jake mumbled.

Liddy looked at Daryl. "J.R.'s my eldest. Him and the boys’ daddy went to get help."

 

Stevie was half listening. Her attention was drawn to the very back of the room where the floor dropped a slight bit. She should have wondered why the husband and son had to leave if they had this good of a system and hardly saw the dead according to Liddy. But the desire to get clean overrode her basic survival instinct.   
A toilet stood out in the open. A U shaped shower curtain track was attached to the ceiling above the toilet. The beige curtain was pushed back against the wall on the left side. An up flow tank was affixed to the floor with the pile snaking to the ceiling and beyond. The floor was concrete and she noticed a drain grate on the floor a couple of feet from the toilet. The entire wall was tiled in blue green tiles. On the right she could see a shower head sticking out of the wall. A five foot tall privacy wall separated the shower area from the main room. The opening to the shower was adjacent to the toilet area and the floor dropped in a deeper slope in the shower stall. Bars of soap and scrub brushes were neatly lined up on the wall closer to the shower head. At the entrance was a low three shelved bookshelf. The bottom two shelves used for extra toiletries and on the top sat neat stack of towels and wash clothes.

Stevie’s attention was brought back to the conversation when Liddy moved in closer to her. “We have solar power and a generator. Big Jimmy thought we should be self-sufficient."

Daryl nodded while Stevie smiled. She believed in taking care of yourself and all of this made sense. That was if it was part of the main house. But this bomb shelter, the only word she could use to describe it, this was too much. What were they expecting to happen? And was it this life they lived now?

"There is soap in the shower and clean towels over there. Daryl you'll find some of Jakes old cloths he grew out of in the basket. Boy's growing like a weed. I have something for you Stevie. Just you wait right here." Liddy walked to her bedroom. On the way Stevie stopped her. "Thank you so much for opening your home to us."

Liddy surprised Stevie by hugging her. "It's the neighborly way. If we don't stick together and help each other out what is going to happen to all of us?"

"We'll die." Daryl spoke up as he unbuttoned his shirt.

 

Liddy suggested that Daryl and Stevie shower together if they felt comfortable enough to do that. "Come on boys lets watch the home movies and give our guests some privacy."

Stevie looked at the three people who so willingly opened their home to them. She tried not to worry about their motives. After a few glances at the back of the couch Stevie decided the idea of warm water and soap was worth the chance that one of those boys would steal a peek at her. Daryl was completely undressed. As soon as Stevie stepped out of her panties Daryl turned the water on. His primal grunts of pleasure drew her into the shower stall. He reluctantly moved over so she could stand under the spray while he lathered his body.

"Oh my God this is wonderful!" She let the water cascade over her head and run down her face.

Daryl handed her the bar of soap and trade places with her once again. Their wet bodied brushed against one another. He had seen her in every light possible in every stage of undress. He liked her this way, her hair dripping and her body glistening. He was having a hard time controlling his urge to take her.

 

Liddy moved to the back of the room. "Nice isn't it?" She made eye contact with Daryl. "You might enjoy this." She handed him a bottle of shampoo. He nodded his thanks as he poured a generous amount into his palm. Liddy walked away, tossing a final comment over her shoulder. "I won't bother you again."

Stevie had turned her back to Daryl when the woman approached, so he took advantage of that. He worked the shampoo into her hair lathering it from her hairline to her nape. The act of washing her hair was incredibly sensual for both of them. She leaned against his body, closing her eyes as his fingers messaged her scalp.

When the time came for her to rinse off instead of moving out of the way Daryl took a step back bringing her under the shower head with him. He pulled her tightly against his body, using his hands to tilt her head back. He helped move the water through her hair, threading his fingers into the long silky strands.

He leaned his head over her shoulder, brushing his cheek against hers. Soap suds slid through the hallow space between her breasts and down her abdomen. He wanted to follow that path with his fingers, no his tongue. He wanted to take her right here up against the dingy shower tiles. He thought about it for a few minutes, entertained the fantasy of pushing her face first against the wall and entering her from behind. He would pound into her until they both could barely breathe and she would need to cling to the tiles to keep her knees from giving out.

 

Stevie heard the rough sound of his breathing. Feeling his erection only added to her arousal. His arms circled her waist, his fingertips toying with her navel. She imagined him caressing her in a more personal area. She shivered at the thought and almost moved his hand lower. It was too much to be here with him. Much like this place was too much of a fantasy so was the idea she could enjoy this shower with him the way she wanted to.

He could tell by the soft hum sound she made that she was turned on too. He didn't want to stop but he knew they had too. "We better dry off."

"I don't want to, not now not ever." Stevie sighed contently.

He whispered next to her ear sending a chill down her spine. "I know but it's rude to take advantage and we're not alone."

"Daryl Dixon, are you worried about being rude?" She turned in his arms and smiled at him.

"Yeah fucking miracles do happen."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Rick and the group set up camp near a creek. They avoided once populated areas as much as possible, taking less traveled back roads. Driving at night was next to impossible, and soon he would need to wake T-Dog and Carol for their night watch. Carol was still angry with him for leaving Daryl and Stevie behind. She didn't hide the fact that she would blame him if anything happened to Daryl. Rick wondered if Carol was setting herself up for a load of heartbreak. He didn't know if her concern for Daryl was out of feeling for him or just friendly worry. The only thing Rick was sure of was, nothing good could come out of Carol caring about Daryl Dixon. Especially since there were obviously something between him and Stevie.

He sighed heavily, that was the least of his problems though. Shane was slowly unraveling and Andrea refused to keep him as her partner. Rick knew as soon as he changed watch schedules there would be problems, which could push Shane over the edge. And then there was the loss of Daryl. It irked him that he had to admit it, their group needed Daryl. His hunting skills were an asset that they took for granted more often than not. Perhaps if all of them showed a little appreciation, Daryl would lighten up a little and be pleasant. He laughed at the thought of Daryl being warm and friendly.

Lori wrapped her arms around Rick from behind. "I missed that very much." She kissed his back before pressing her cheek against his shoulder blade.

He pulled her around to the front so he could hold her. "What did you miss?"

"Your laugh." Lori kissed him passionately. "Carl's asleep, why don't you come to bed."

"I can't. I have to wake the others for watch." He put her at arm's length. He had been through hell to get to her and their son and she betrayed him. He knew she believed he was dead but that still didn't take the sting out of the betrayal. She didn't know he had figured it out, and for now, he wanted to keep it that way. He still loved her in spite of it. He just couldn't bring himself to be her husband in every sense of the word. Not yet at least.

 

Stevie didn't think she could be happier, that was until she saw the things Liddy had set out for her. She didn't think it was possible to cry over a pair of fresh panties but she wanted to do just that. It had been almost a week since she had clean clothing. All of this was too overwhelming.

After she dressed and joined the others back in the living space. Liddy came to stand next to her. Motherly she wrapped her arm around Stevie's shoulders, guiding her to the table next to Daryl. "Do you feel better dear?"

Stevie impulsively hugged the woman. "Yes thank you so much. Those words are not enough, not nearly enough!"

 

Liddy gave them her bedroom as she said she would. They turned in shortly after dark. Although the family had power they didn't waste energy. Stevie couldn't believe how efficient everything ran in this small place. She was impressed by this group. The shower and the meal gave Stevie a solid sense of safety for a change. She hadn't relaxed this much since the outbreak. Not even in their fort.  
She looked around the room. Every space was used efficiently. Dry goods lined the walls and Stevie counted the different backpacks under the bed. There was a tall dresser full of clothing and neat stacks of shirts and jeans sat on the floor next to it. It was obvious they used the backpacks to look for supplies. Why they gathered so much clothing and in so many different sizes puzzled Stevie.  
Her attention was pulled away from her questions when Daryl noisily flopped onto the bed. He was back in his old clothing and fully dressed. “Aren’t you going to change?”  
 

Stevie looked at the night shirt Liddy had put on the end of the bed. He had the bottoms waiting for him. “Don’t you trust them?”  
   
“Nope.” He repeated. “Get yer ass in bed you got second, in four hours.”  
   
She took a look at the clothing again and decided there had to be a logical reason. She pulled the clean t-shirt off and stepped out of the jeans. “I’m getting comfortable. They are good people, Daryl. Believe it.” She tried to ignore the voice that spoke inside her head, telling her that Daryl would never fully trust anyone herself included. She didn't want to ruin this moment, this chance at normalcy even if it was only a quick fantasy.  
   
She snuggled up to him She imagined life here with him and the family. Imagined staying here until the outbreak was over. A small amount of guilt gnawed at her heart over the fate of the others. Almost as fast as the guilt came it went away too. They had after all left them. They didn't really care about her and Daryl. Daryl was just a commodity. Something they could use and when his resources were no longer needed they would toss him aside. They had tossed him aside. There was no denying Rick and the others had left them for dead. Tomorrow she would convince Daryl that they were better off away from that group.

   
The story continues in part two


End file.
